White Wine
“Barrel-fermented Semillon leads the way in this outstandingly good value white.” - Decanter, 93 points
“Will develop beautifully for quite likely a decade, which is pretty astonishing for a £15 wine.”- Tamlyn Currin for JancisRobinson.com
An astonishing value from South Africa, comprising 80% barrel-aged Semillon and 20% Sauvignon Blanc. The fruit quality here is outstanding for the price, the Sauvignon Blanc coming from the highest vineyard on the Simonsberg mountain and the Semillon sourced from old vines in Franschhoek. It has the grassy notes that you find in some of the great Constantia whites from the likes of Cape Point and Steenberg, but also the density and concentration found in ageworthy Franschhoek Semillon like Boekenhoutskloof, showing notes of lemongrass, greengage, blackcurrant leaf and ginger. It’s a wine that should appeal to fans of cool-climate Sauvignon Blanc, as well as fans of barrel-fermented white Bergerac. Match it with fragrant south-east Asian dishes, asparagus or white fish with dill, fennel or coriander. 12% alc. Drink now-2030.
Sustainably farmed
Vegan friendly
Press review:
Decanter: “Waxy, intense barrel-fermented Semillon leads the way in this outstandingly good value white, with the 20% unoaked (but long lees-aged) Sauvignon Blanc bringing aromatic zing and brightness. Exotic notes of coconut cream, lemongrass and pineapple complete the complex, food-friendly picture. Drink now-2032.” 93 points
JancisRobinson.com (previous vintage): “Lemongrass fragrance, and the smell of a long, lushly green lawn on a warm day after a summer rainstorm. If you've ever scooped out a teaspoon of passion fruit from its little purple shell just a few days too early, when it's practically spitting shards of acidity at you (while still tasting deliciously of passion fruit), then you'll get this wine. It's so addictively spiky and hissing green scalpels and pistol cracks of cordite that it takes a couple of gulps to notice the oak – a faint, hidden smudge of vanilla pod and cream behind the smoke screen, behind the sorrel screen. It's crackling with character and while bracingly drinkable right now (don't serve it too cold), I think this will be seriously good in a couple of years time and will develop beautifully for quite likely a decade, which is pretty astonishing for a £15 wine. Very Good Value. Drink now-2035.” 16.5++ points
Tim Atkin MW (previous vintage): “Wildeberg's white Bordeaux blend is always one of its finest wines, made with deftly assembled Semillon and 20% Sauvignon Blanc. The old vine concentration of the two Semillon blocks is very evident on the palate, giving richness and texture to the blend. Kelp, pink grapefruit and mineral acidity complete the picture. Drink now-2027.” 93 points
Customer comments:
“What a wine! Do you have any more? If so, I'll take another case. I'm sitting here shaking my head - bags of flavour and at a quaffing price!” - Mr. A.S.
“That Coterie is bloody lovely.” - Mr B.T.
“I have a bone to pick with you. Your write-up on the Coterie didn’t do it justice. It’s even better than your description!” - Mr V.G.
”Yum Yum!” - Mr. J. F.
“We’re enjoying this immensely.” - Ms. V. J.
”Just wanted to say THANK YOU for finding the Coterie and at such an unbelievable price. This has to be the best value white wine in the UK right now, simply delicious.” - Mr. K. A.
”This was extraordinary. Thanks so much for the tip.” - Mr. J.C.
"Tasted like a really good white Bordeaux - the semillon really came through. Amazing for £15" - Mr. X.
”Fabulous and definitely lived up to the billing, and everyone thoroughly enjoyed it.” - Mr. P. R.
”This wine is DELICIOUS, you don’t happen to have any more do you? “ - Mr. A. F.
“If it’s pure Chenin perfume at a good price you’re after, this is your wine. Good Value.” - Jancis Robinson MW
Secateurs Chenin Blanc is Adi Badenhorst’s calling card and the most important wine he makes, because it’s his entry-point white, the first wine that most people try before thinking “Wow! That’s lekker! What else shall I try?”. It’s made from dry-farmed Chenin Blanc bush-vines grown on decomposed granite in the Paardeberg mountain range, where Adi has his ramshackle homestead. I will never forget getting up early, sitting on his stoop with a cup of coffee and watching the run rise slowly over the vines. Mainly because I had underestimated the strength of the African sun at 7.00am and Adi was in fits of giggles when I came back into the house as red as a baboon’s buttock.
Where were we? Oh yes… fermentation occurs spontaneously with native yeasts, across a range of vessels including foudres, stainless steel and French oak barriques, but you don’t want to hear all this stuff do you? That’s not what this wine is about and, in any case, whenever I ask Adi anything technical, he just shrugs and pretends he can’t remember or accuses me of being a nerd. At least, I think that’s what he called me. It’s a wine that celebrates conviviality, giggles, bonhomie and disorder, which is probably why this mailshot is all over the place. It’s not a serious wine, but it’s a wine that conveys the spirit of South Africa’s ‘New Wave’ and the ‘Swartland Revolution’, which was founded by Adi and fellow winemakers Eben Sadie, Chris and Andrea Mullineux and Calli Louw back in 2010.
So, yes, it’s just a drink, if you want, but it’s also the contemporary face of a winemaking history dating back to 1659, when the first wine was made in The Cape. It’s a wine that South African’s pour with great pride, because it represents a modern benchmark for quality and price and has probably attracted more people to the joys of South African wine than almost any other. Enough from me, here’s what the experts have to say:
Press reviews:
Tim Atkin MW: “Aged in foudres, it has a stony top note, deftly judged flavours of peach, pear and pink grapefruit, good palate weight and a bright, tangy finish. Hugely drinkable. Drink now-2028.” 90 points
The Wine Advocate: “The 2025 shows bright freshness, with honey and yellow flower layered over clean orchard fruit aromatics. Drink now-2029.” 91 points
Jancis Robinson MW: “Intense, creamy nose that smells like a much more expensive wine. The palate is scrawnier than the nose suggests, but if it’s pure Chenin perfume at a good price you’re after, this is your wine. Good Value. Drink now-2027.” 16 points
Vinous: “This is bright and fresh on the nose, with citrus peel and light orange pith scents. The palate is well-balanced with a lovely texture, hints of orange rind and walnut on the entry, with a slightly smoky finish. Very fine. Drink now-2030.” 88 points
James Suckling: “"Orange blossoms, sliced pears, persimmons and melon on the nose of this fruity white. It’s medium- to full-bodied with good fruit ripeness and freshness combined.” 91 points
Adi Badenhorst
I’ve had some great nights out with Adi Badenhorst, although I usually can’t walk straight by the end. Not because I’ve drunk too much, but because he pulls my leg so much that one ends up longer than the other. I met up with him recently and he confided sotto voce that I had always been a huge inspiration to him. He leaned in closer: “Huge!” he repeated, for the avoidance of doubt. I accepted the compliment with a wry smile, knowing full well that he was yanking my chain, because with Adi, you take him at face value at your peril and that is one of the many reasons why he’s my favourite winemaker on the planet.
Born into extreme silliness, Adi has done more to raise the profile of South African wine than my cousin, Paul, a paramedic from Aberdeen. But don't let appearances deceive you, Adi may look like the secret lovechild of an Appalachian freight-hopper and a cartoon bear, but all of his outer tomfoolery can’t conceal the fact that he's actually incredibly smart and talented (he hates it when I remind him that he was ‘head boy’ at school), and his wines are beautifully imperfect expressions of the Swartland, its vineyards, its people and their dungarees.
“This is a terrific value wine.” - The Wine Advocate
South Africa is one of the world’s best exponents of Chenin Blanc and this is a great value example. It has a lovely nose of peach skin, apricot blossom, grapefruit pith, and some notes of baked patisserie and just a faint melted candle wax character. The palate medium-bodied with a slight waxy, dried honey entry with hints of pink grapefruit and lemongrass lending tension and vibrancy towards the zesty finish. 13.5% alc. Drink now-2029.
Press review:
JancisRobinson.com (previous vintage): “Such a pretty nose! Buttery pastry, gorse flowers and orange honey. Lots of orange citrus. The fruit is forward and generous, but the acidity is lustrous. Good Value. (TC) 13.5%. Drink now-2027.“ 16.5 points
The Wine Advocate (previous vintage): “This is a terrific value wine in a handy screw-cap bottle. The Brookdale 2023 Paarl Chenin Blanc Mason Road adopts a bright and citrusy character underlined by primary tones of tangerine and lemon zest. The wine is lean-bodied but not too thin, and it offers a pretty combination of subtle sweetness, salty minerality and freshness that makes it an attractive food choice. I'm thinking a seafront fish lunch. Fruit comes from a block planted in 1993 that is harvested in phases in order to achieve the desired qualities (ripeness versus freshness). The wine is mostly made in stainless steel (85% of the total), with a tiny part that ferments in French oak.” 90 points
This appallingly-named wine features wispy mineral notes on the nose, like the dust kicked up from a chalky bridle path, as well as nervy notes of lemon posset, green apple matchsticks and yellow cherry. It is mineral-driven, for sure, but also has delicate notes of white tea, beeswax, straw thatch and vanilla (from the brief dip into oak barrels) to add some subtle intrigue. 20% of the blend was skin-fermented (to add texture) and the other 80% comprises two pickings of Chenin Blanc from Eenzaamheid, one early to retain freshness and crisp acidity and one a little later to provide some broader brush strokes. The Eenzaamheid portion is aged in 600 litre French oak for 9 months. 13% alc. Drink now-2030.
“Cries out for some oysters. Very fine.” - Vinous
This great value Cape white delivers oodles of crisp and vibrant Sauvignon fruit. Intense aromas of gooseberry, lime, blackcurrant leaf, cut grass and wild nettle greet the nose, while on the palate razor-edged flavours of grapefruit and kiwi with a merciful squeeze of nectarine and passion fruit that add ripeness and succulence with a steely minerality and a pleasing saline note (from the exposure to the cool Atlantic Ocean) on the finish. Perfect for spring and summer drinking. 13% alc. Drink now – 2026.
Press reviews:
Vinous: “The 2023 Sauvignon Blanc Noordhoek comes from estate fruit matured in stainless steel, aged on the lees for ten months. There’s green apples, citrus peel and kiwi fruit on the nose, and just a little pyrazines here. The palate certainly has more vigour and tension than the regular Sauvignon Blanc. It’s taut and crisp, very malic, with quite a penetrating finish that cries out for some oysters. Very fine.” 89 points
JancisRobinson.com: “More fruit, body and colour than their entry-level Sauvignon. Varietally correct with plenty of oomph. (TC). Drink now-2032.” 16 points
“So much here! Flavours keep tripping over each other…So, so different from bog-standard Viognier.” - Tamlyn Currin for JancisRobinson.com, 17 points
The Viognier grape is a bit of a maverick. It’s low in acidity, which is unusual for a white grape, so harvesting time is critical (it can literally come down to a matter of hours); pick too early and the aromas won’t have developed properly, pick too late and the wine will taste blousy. Its sugars develop unevenly too, spiking suddenly around harvest time, so it must be picked before the potential alcohol goes through the roof. Chris Williams, ex-Meerlust winemaker and now doing his own thing at The Foundry, has a team of pickers on a hair-trigger, ready to dash into the vineyard, brandishing their secateurs, at a moment's notice and that military precision has resulted in a pitch-perfect Viognier, full of exotic scents (honeysuckle, coconut, jasmine) interwoven into the creamy stone fruit without turning lethargic and flabby from hanging too long on the vine. A wine worthy of a fine piece of turbot or lobster. 13.5% alc. From a vineyard just 3 miles from False Bay so it gets cool Atlantic Ocean winds which Chris says keeps the wine restrained. Fermentation in old barrels. Drink now-2026.
Press review:
JancisRobinson.com: “Cobnuts and rhubarb-lime candy. Daphne flowers and then a little note of Darjeeling tea. Pineapple. So much here! Flavours keep tripping over each other. Straw on the end. Bauble-shiny acidity. So, so different from bog-standard Viognier. This could convince me that all Viognier should be grown within reach of cold ocean winds. Good Value. Drink now-2027.” 17 points
Duncan Savage’s ‘Salt River’ takes a serious look at Sauvignon Blanc, seen through the lens of the South Atlantic Ocean. It’s not a ‘varietal’ wine in the sense that it doesn’t turn up the dial on Sauvignon Blanc’s trademark aromas, as you might expect to find in a Marlborough expression, but pares them right down, so that the wine is taut, pithy and dry.
Sancerre doesn’t mention Sauvignon Blanc on the front label and there’s an argument for this wine doing the same, because it communicates a lot more about the terroir than the grape variety, displaying a distinct saline quality, a bit of rubble dust, as well as grapefruit peel, preserved lemon and marine breeze. A serious alternative to Sancerre or Pouilly-Fuissé.13.5% alc. Drink now-2030.
This is a new wine from Thorne & Daughters and until everyone realises just how good it is, and demand drives the price up, we find ourselves in the presence of a bit of a bargain! It’s simply delicious, quite a creamy style, with honeysuckle notes as well as lime cordial and baking spices. It’s so deftly balanced between indulgence and vitality, but I’m not going to say any more about it, as I don’t want to draw any more attention to it and cause the price to rise. 13% alc. Mostly Elgin fruit. Aged in old oak barrels of various sizes. Drink now-2030.
NEW VINTAGE - INTRO PRICING!
Winemaker, Alex Milner, who cycles around The Cape looking for forgotten vineyards, has raised the bar once again with the 2025 release of his (certified) Old Vine Chenin Blanc ‘Axle’ from the adorably-named region of Darling. It’s a labour of love from Alex and, as such, it seems to improve year-in, year-out, and this feels like the most complete vintage yet. It’s a little tighter and more textured than the 2024, bristling with energy and tension, but always with that core of succulent fruit and its summery scent of fynbos on a warm breeze.
The texture holds the wine together, being neither too viscous, nor too thin, and helps spread the flavours evenly across the palate. Until recently, Alex used a basket-press to extract the juice for the grapes, knocking up an impressive 80 hours of manual pressing each year, which he says “practically finished me off!”. So, he has now bought a pneumatic press and the 2025 vintage was done mechanically, which means that the wine was exposed to oxygen for less time and is notably lighter in colour and fresher in character than earlier versions. 13% alc. Aged in barrel for 10 months. Sourced from certified heritage vineyards. Drink now-2032.
NB The bottle has a soft wax seal. Simply insert your corkscrew through the wax and extract the cork as normal and the wax will come away with the cork. If you feel the need to start a Twitter feud about the merits of wax seals, please pour yourself a glass of this first, take a moment, and then see how you feel.
Press review:
JancisRobinson.com: “Certified Heritage Vineyard Chenin bush vines planted in 1985 on decomposed granite. Some whole bunch and some destemmed with a bit of skin contact. Spontaneous fermentation in old 225-litre French barrels and large cask. Aged 10 months on lees.
Fragrance on the nose shifting, dappled, like spring sunlight through bare branches fuzzy with buds. Petrichor, apple blossom, acacia flowers, brick dust. Alex Milner’s chicane of making a bone-dry Chenin taste like a dessert wine. Baked pears set within a crystal cluster of acidity, prismic in its brightness, in the way it seems to split and bend the frequency of the wine’s energy into a blade of rainbows. Spiciness – cinnamon, fine-ground cigar, cardamon – rising and falling on the breath of the wine. Drink now-2032.” 17.5 points
Winemaker, Alex Milner, writes: “My wife loves the more textured styles of Chenin blanc, so I thought it would be fun if I could make her one. We were wanting to make a style that was low in alcohol, allow us to work completely naturally, but yet have a balance of acid that would have you coming back for more. We spent the most part of the winter of 2017 tasting and visiting various vineyards, to find the one that fitted our desired profile. Welcome to our Darling vineyard, which from the onset, we knew we had something interesting.”
Winemaking
“To achieve our desired goals, extreme care is taken to pick these grapes at the optimal ripeness, this happens in late January. Harvested by hand and then further sorted in the cellar, to ensure only the best fruit is used. Grapes are whole bunch pressed in our basket press, this juice is cooled and allowed to settle. The skins from the press are then put into a tank and left overnight to be lightly pressed again the following day. This is our skin contact component and adds a perfect depth to the final wine. The clean juice is then racked to seasoned barrels, some fine lees is added. Fermentation begins slowly after 2-3 days. malolactic fermentation also occurs naturally. Post fermentation baronage occurs fort-nightly for 2 months. Wines are left sur lie for 10 months in their barrels, after which it is racked and bottled. Made with minimal interference and pretence - preserving the intrinsic link between bottle and grape.”
Old dry-farmed bush vines on decomposed granite. Basket pressed and left undisturbed in a barrel for nine months.
Customer Comments:
”The Axle Chenin Blanc rather restored my faith in South African Chenin” - Mr S.C.
”Love the Axle Chenin!” - Mr. J.M.
“It’s excellent stuff.” My D.O.
”Tried the Chenin last night - it’s great!” - Mr. F. L.
”Wine received. Two have already disappeared! It's great!” - Mr. M. D.
“Do you have anymore of the Axle Chenin? Just opened a bottle, wow, I'd like to buy some more...” - Mr D.L.
”This is awesome. Really lovely SA Chenin.” - Mr. V. S.
“Just purchased 2 more cases of the Axle.. I’ve decided it going to be Xmas presents for everyone this year.. it’s very good!.” - Mr J.L.
“Exciting and sculpted. Just brilliant!” – Jancis Robinson MW, 17 points
A new wine from Chris Alheit is big news in these parts, which is a reflection of Chris Alheit’s mighty reputation and not a criticism of these parts. It’s a Chenin Blanc made from young vines, planted by Chris and Suzaan with one eye on the future (young vines eventually become old vines after all) and is made in the same way as their single vineyard wines (malolactic fermentation, 18 months in barrel etc.) and is abuzz with energy and precision. It’s a fantastic example of bush-vine Chenin full of cool stone fruits and something earthy, like grist from the mill, and plenty of dry extract and tannic pinch to give it authority. A wine that bridges the gap between their (sadly discontinued) Flotsam and Jetsam white and their premium ‘single vineyard’ cuvées. 13.5% alc. Drink now-2030.
Press review:
JancisRobinson.com: “Wild honey, sour cherry, mimosa on the nose. Honeysuckle. Quince on the palate and then both taut and rich, dense and wired to cutting point; lime marmalade and gingerbread. Floral and tense and thrilling. So goddam alive! It tastes as if it wants to take off like a rocket. (TC)” 17 points
Jancis Robinson MW: “Rich and very honeyed and Chenin. Exciting and sculpted. Just brilliant!Long, throbbing fruit. (JR)” 17 points
Greg Sherwood MW: “Made from a mixture of young and older vines aged between 5 and 40 years old, after 18 months of elevage with 66% aged on its fine lees, the complex aromatics reveal a rich leesy, savoury yellow fruited nose with pithy white citrus, peach stone, bitter almonds, dried herbs, orange blossom and hints of lemon oil. Rich but not too overtly “fruity”, the palate is plush, harmonious and textural with hints of honeydew melon, lemon pastille, white peach and savoury leesy biscuit hints. Really quite serious, and seriously delicious! Drink now and over the next 8 to 10 years.” 94 points
Vinous: “The 2022 Hereafter Here is a mixture of young and old vines due to the higher yields this year, whole bunch pressed with 18 months elevage, two-thirds on the lees. The well-defined bouquet has yellow plum, orange blossom, Japanese yuzu and crushed stone aromas. The palate is very harmonious, with a crisp line of acidity. A linear, alost Zen-like razor-sharp Chenin displaying wonderful nerve on the finish. Superb.” 91 points
Tim Atkin: “Herafter Here is Chris Alheit's biggest-production Chenin Blanc, made from five different sources in Stellenbosch and the Swartland. The vines are mostly younger, producing a wine that's comparatively immediate, with a nice interplay between peach an green apple fruit and impressive brightness for a 2022 release. 2023-28.” 93 points
Customer comment:
“A very good (if pricier) replacement for the much-missed Flotsam & Jetsam!” - Mr T.P
We were about to leave the tasting when our host asked if we had tasted the Grenache Gris from Momento. We confessed that we hadn’t and were promptly frogmarched towards it and left in the capable hands of its engaging winemaker, Marelise Niemann, and we were so glad we hadn’t missed it, because what a wine! It has so much green-fruit intensity, bristling with electric lime, melon and rhubarb, as well as geosmin and lemongrass and an impression of cold stone. Don’t miss it! 13% alc. Aged on the lees in large, old oak barrels. Drink now-2030.
Press reviews:
Tim Atkin MW: “Willie Mostert's celebrated farm on the Voor Paardeberg is the source of this Grenache Gris from a winemaker who has made the grape her own. Racy, earthy and complex, with a petrichor top note, it has some added structure from seven days on skins, salty intensity, some granitic grip and flavours of quince and lemon peel. Drink now-2029.” 93 points
Decanter: “A remarkable wine, this is from the only vineyard of Grenache Gris in South Africa, planted in 2013 by Willie Mosterd on granite and clay soils. Of the 30 or so rows, Marelise picks four to five of them each vintage, and has done since the 2017 vintage.” 93 points
I would suggest that the difference between this wine (newly titled “Klein Hemel”) and their more expensive, single-vineyard ‘Ava Marie’ Chardonnay, has more to do with style than quality. They are both equally fabulous examples of cool climate New World Chardonnay and this just has a bit more of the jangling, in-your-face minerality compared to the ‘Ava Marie’, which feels broader, deeper and more grandiose. This is the upright piano for playing honkytonk, whereas the ‘Ava Marie’ is the grand piano for playing Chopin.
On the nose there is a flash of matchstick reduction, as well as nutty fun from the barrel fermentation, while delicate flavours of white peach, lemon balm and grapefruit flesh out the core. The palate is bright and polished with the house’s signature vibrant acidity pulling through to give a Chardonnay with chiselled European incisiveness even if its roots are South African. 13.5% alc. Drink now-2032.
Press reviews:
Tim Atkin MW: “Vineyard Selection is the entry-point Chardonnay from Craig and Ann Wessels, sourced from younger vineyards planted with the 95, 96 and 271 clones. Fermented with 40% malolactic in 10% new oak, it's steely, stony and saline, with a granitic core, a waft of toast and a chiselled, lemon and lime juice finish. Drink now-2030.” 94 points
The Wine Advocate: “The Restless River 2024 Upper Hemel-en-Aarde Valley Klein Hemel Chardonnay is sourced from granite soils with shallow gravel and represents the pure granite expression of the estate. Fermented and aged primarily in 500-litre barrels with 5% stainless steel in larger-format vessels to moderate oak influence, the wine is precise, mineral and sharply defined. Saline and vibrant, it delivers intensity without weight at a moderate 13% alcohol, showing impressive brightness and acidity. Drink now-2030.” 93 points
Vinous: “The 2024 Klein Hemel Chardonnay, which was previously called "estate", comes from fruit grown on the estate, matured for 12 months in barrel with a small proportion in stainless steel. This has a clean and precise bouquet, very focused, just a little flintiness in the background. The palate is fresh and crisp on the entry with orange rind and citrus fruit, segueing into a slightly more malic, Chablis-like finish. This is a classy Chardonnay that is full of energy and salinity. Excellent. Drink now-2038’“ 92 points
The Wine Advocate: “The A. A. Badenhorst Family Wines 2023 Swartland Kalmoesfontein White Blend is built on a core of Chenin Blanc supported by Clairette Blanche, Grenache Blanc, Palomino, Viognier, Roussanne, Muscat d’Alexandrie and Verdelho, with additional small components that are not fully disclosed. Aged one year in old wooden vats, followed by a year in tank and made without sulfur additions, the wine moves in a distinctly savoury direction. Salty on the finish and beautifully textured, it balances broad richness with sharp focus and precision. There is a tactile sappiness and a subtle crunch on the palate, giving the wine energy and tension. This reinforces the sense that this white has the capacity to age gracefully. Drink now-2038.” 95+ points
Tim Atkin MW: “A man who loves to blend grape varieties, Adi Badenhorst makes this Swartland cuvée predominantly with Chenin Blanc and Grenache Blanc, complemented by smaller amounts of Verdelho, Palomino, Muscat d'Alexandrie, Roussanne, Marsanne and Sauvignon Blanc. Jasmine and wet stone aromas segue into a palate that's savoury, sappy and complex, with subtle oak spices, pear, quince and nutmeg flavours and a salted almond tang. Drink now-2030.” 94 points
“One of South Africa's greatest whites. Bravo!” - Tim Atkin MW, 96 points
Cape Point’s top cuvée, the ‘Isliedh’ 2023, is an incredibly beautiful and profound white blend of Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon and Sauvignon Gris. The vineyards are situated high on a south-west-facing slope, where the cold winds of the Atlantic Ocean meet the cool breezes of False Bay, making a daily temperature that is 10 degrees below that of Stellenbosch and ideal for aromatic grapes.
It is is similar to a barrel-fermented white Bordeaux, but it’s also a proud Constantia white with its signature herbaceous note, reminiscent of lawnmower clippings. The palate begins with gooseberry fool and grapefruit, but then it broadens out to release its more sumptuous side with tremendous depth and richness and is finely seasoned with sandalwood, ginger root and baking spices. The 2023 underwent regular lees stirring and contains 20% barrel-fermented wine, which adds texture and ageing potential. 13.5% alc. Drink now-2030.
Press reviews:
Tim Atkin MW: "This is the second year that Cape Point's top white has included a portion of Sauvignon Gris, which adds an extra nuance to the base of 70% Sauvignon Blanc and 20% Semillon. Barrel fermented in 30% new French and Austrian oak, it's one of South Africa's greatest whites, with layers of grapefruit, greengage, elderflower and sweet kitchen spices, chiselled acidity and perfectly judged wood integration. Bravo!" 96 points
JancisRobinson.com: “Smells chalky, and then of violets and freesia. So unusual! Remarkably floral which gives the impression of delicacy, a halo, a brume of ferns and moss and bergamot. But then the fruit starts to loom with mango-drenched intensity, showing discreet, punctilious power. Rose-grapefruit curd, blood orange, pineapple peel. Distinctive and very classy. Drink now-2030. (Tamlyn Currin).” 17.5 points
“Another superb Cartology release.” - Greg Sherwood MW, 95+ points
We are offering the Cartology 2022 on a 'first-come, first-served' basis, which, when you think about it, is nothing more than the usual terms of engagement between merchant and customer. In fact, supermarket checkout queues would be pandemonium if any other system were in place.
We were lucky enough to attend a vertical tasting of every vintage since its debut in 2011, so we can safely say that Cartology is a wine that ages beautifully for at least a decade. The Chenin Blanc component (representing 92% of the blend) comes from a widespread patchwork of parcels in the Skurfberg, Tygerberg and Paardeberg, as well as Bottelary, Stellenbosch, Piekenierskloof, False Bay and Botrivier and the Semillon comes from the old La Colline block in Franschhoek. You pick up a lot of minerality and stony crunch on the nose, with impressions of crushed chalk and broken clay, leading to succulent stone fruit and quince flavours on the palate and a delicate hint of frangipane. This is an intense and striking wine that is rightfully held up as one of the most important pieces in the Cape's 'old vine' jigsaw. 13% alc. Drink now-2034.
Press reviews:
Tim Atkin MW: “"It was a vintage that gave you the chance to show what you were made of," says Chris Alheit of the "middling 2022 growing season". It certainly did. This is a brilliant cuvée of Chenin Blanc with 8% Semillon, sourced from ten different vineyards. Showing lots of energy from early picked grapes on granite soils, it has fennel, fynbos and lanolin aromas, citrus, green herb and wet stone flavours, and good ageing potential, despite the heat of the vintage. Drink now-2030.“ 95 points
Greg Sherwood MW: “This flagship blend from Chris Alheit is made from 92% Chenin Blanc and 8% Semillon grapes sourced from eight disparate old vine vineyards of between 40 and 60 years old. The youthful aromatics display a melange of granitic minerality over notes of peach, tangerine, orange oil and wet hay nuances. The 2022 is beautifully cool, harmonious and overtly mineral-led with dusty dried herbs, white peach, green pear and yellow stone fruits. The acids are gentle, soft spoken but deliciously tangy and the finish creamy, leesy and delightfully mouth-coating with and impressively persistent length. Yet another superb Cartology release from Chris ‘Butch’ Alheit. Drink now and over the next 10 to 12+ years.” 95+ points
JancisRobinson.com (Tamlyn Currin): “A mesmerising unfurling of fragrance from the moment you put the glass to your nose: wild-meadow grass and flowers, hay and summer honey, grainy pears. The acidity is ripe and broad and spreads across the mouth from side to side rather than beginning to end. Delicate bitterness forms the spine; apple pips, citrus peel, apricot stone. Very savoury finish. Fruit is muted. Texture is what’s left on the length. Rumpled linen. Drink now-2032.” 17+ points
“One of the Cape's greatest whites.” - Tim Atkin MW, 98 points
At the time of writing this, I think we might just have the two finest Semillons in the world in our cellars! Alongside the Old Vines Semillon from Patagonia made by Matias Riccitelli (click here), we now have Boekenhoutskloof’s Semillon 2023, which is a wine that joins the pantheon of great Cape whites, alongside Palladius by Eben Sadie and Chris Alheit’s single vineyard cuvées (Nautical Dawn, Magnetic North, Fire by Night etc.). It’s made from Certified Heritage Vineyards, dating back as far as 1902, and is the sort of grandiose white that can live up to rich and complex dishes, like Lobster Thermidor or Coquilles Saint-Jacques, thanks to its rich texture and its grand medley of flavours ranging from tangerines and lemon meringue to honeysuckle, vanilla and gun smoke. 13% alc. Drink now-2033.
Press review:
Tim Atkin MW: “ "Wow!". That sums up what I feel about the latest vintage of this stunning Semillon from three parcels in Franschhoek, planted in 1902, 1936 and 1942. One of the Cape's greatest whites, made by one of its most talented winemakers in Gottfried Mocke, it has aromas of saffron, lanolin and nutmeg, stylish 70% new wood, a touch of petrichor and aniseed and layers of citrus, lemongrass and gunflint. Drink now-2035.” 98 points
“A wine that marries power, depth and incredible focus and finesse.” - Tim Atkin MW, 97 points
A Chenin Blanc from an ungrafted Skurfberg vineyard planted at 1,500 feet above sea level, it benefits from cooler temperatures than elsewhere and that shows in the taut intensity of the wine itself. Crackling citrus, mineral salts, crème fraiche and lime all draped in ripe stone fruits, it’s a phenomenal wine of tension and concentration and it’s that depth of flavour that Chris specialises in. He focuses on picking at optimum ripeness, eschewing the current fad for picking early to retain higher acidity, because he believes you have to snap the vineyard when it is in its prime, that is how you honour what the vineyard is trying to achieve. 13.6% alc. Drink now-2038.
Press review:
Tim Atkin MW: “After a two year break - best not to spend too long discussing why with Chris Alheit - Magnetic North is back to delight its many fans in 2023. Sourced from vines planted in 1981 and 1984 at 520 metres on the Van Lill farm on Citrusdal Mountain, this is a wine that marries power, depth and incredible focus and finesse. Racy, ferrous and very stony, with lots of underlying structure, notes of oyster shell, pink grapefruit and umami, negligible oak and a tapering finish. Drink 2028-2035.” 97 points
EXTREMELY LIMITED
“Ava Maria has established itself as one of the Cape's greatest Chardonnays.” - Tim Atkin MW, 97 points
When you eat an ortolan, the tiny songbird considered to be a delicacy by French gastronomes, you are supposed to cover your head with a napkin, as a symbolic act to hide your shame for eating something so decadent and sinfully delicious. We feel the same should apply when you drink this rare and unspeakably good Chardonnay, although you might have to explain yourself to your fellow drinkers.
It’s a wine from the oldest Chardonnay block in the Hemel-en-Aarde Valley, hand-crafted by Craig Wessels, whose family’s roots in the area date back to 1760, being the first settlers to farm there, and it is believed that his forefather, the splendidly-named, Wessel Wessels, was the person who originally christened it the ‘Hemel-en-Aarde’ (‘Heaven on Earth’) Valley.
Their ‘Ava Marie’ Chardonnay has quickly become one of the most admired Chardonnays from South Africa, elbowing its way onto the wine lists of many a Michelin-starred restaurant and was the highest-ever-scoring South African Chardonnay in Decanter Magazine with a score of 97/100 points. If, like us, your wallet winces at the thought of spending over £50 on a bottle of wine, then names like Meursault, Puligny-Montrachet and Chassagne-Montrachet are already well out of reach, so you need to look elsewhere for your ‘special occasion’ wines and this fabulously fits the bill, as it’s a dead-ringer for a premier cru from the hands of someone like Alex Moreau, Michel Mallard or Benjamin Leroux (i.e. ‘classically-styled’). It ‘s bright and mineral with a wonderful, mouth-watering succulence and beautifully judged oak.
Craig seeks freshness in his Chardonnay, so he picks early, keeps the alcohol level at a pleasing 13% abv and likes to age in older barrels, using no more than 10% new oak - when he buys new barrels, he lends most of them out for a year to (very grateful!) fellow winemakers, so they come back ‘seasoned’ and don’t impart too much woody flavour on the wines they surround. As well as barrels of various sizes, Craig has also imported two terracotta amphorae from Tuscany, which are used to ferment the Chardonnay. 13% alc. Drink now-2032.
Press review:
Tim Atkin MW: “Now in its sixteenth vintage, Ava Maria has established itself as one of the Cape's greatest Chardonnays. Sourced from the oldest block of the variety in the Hemel-en-Aarde area, it has amazing tension and granitic focus, refined 10% new wood, notes of macadamia nut beeswax, oyster shell and lemon butter and a lingering, palate-cleansing finish. Sublime. Drink now-2032.” 97 points
From the famous rocky outcrop of decomposed granite that is farmed by local heroes like Eben Sadie and Craig Hawkins, the 2022 ‘Fire By Night’ shows classic Paardeberg characteristics of richness, minerality and tension in equal measure. Pear, mango, apple granita, green plum, lime juice and thatching straw feature in this taut and chiselled Chenin Blanc. 12.5% alc. Fermented in cement eggs. Drink now-2035.
Press reviews:
Tim Atkin MW “Fire by Night comes from the Alheits' Newudam farm, made with grapes from parcels planted between 1972 and 1985 on the Paardeberg. You can taste the granite here, as well as the intensity of dry-farmed old vines: focused, taut and concentrated, with fennel, oatmeal and thatch aromas, subtle wood spices and a flinty, mouth-watering finish. Drink now- 2035.“ 97 points
Jancis Robinson.com: “Smells like tarte Tatin before it goes into the oven. But very tight – still way too young to drink. Crunchy raw pear. Sorrel. Toast and smoke. Green apricot. Apricot-skin texture and very very very stony. The finish is the mouth-watering taste of cement dust. And wonderful bitterness that weaves real tension and length into the finish. (TC). Drink 2027-2032.” 17++ points
Red Wine
Smokkelman (or the smuggler) is a multi-vintage blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah, which offers the holy trinity of style, content and value. The anti-mainstream, hipster-friendly label and the wax seal are normally attributes of a wine that sells for a higher price, but this wine retails at a price that makes it available to the common man, meaning that it won’t be of interest to any satchel-carrying Shoreditch bro on his way to getting his banjo restringed.
The Syrah comes from the same plot that supplies Duncan Savage (Savage Wines) and Reenen Borman (Boschkloof) with grapes, while the Cabernet Sauvignon was smuggled in from a prestigious producer’s cellars on the famous Heldeberg Mountain (only the Smokkelman knows who it is!). It pours a deep, inky crimson colour and has rambunctious, bawdy flavours of red-fleshed plums, black cherry yoghurt (i.e. creamy as well as tangy), hand-squashed blackberries and smoky spices. Perfect for barbecues or noisy parties, but absolutely not for drinking while listening to the latest vinyl by Fontaines DC. 13% alc. The Cabernet Sauvignon was aged for 2 years in old barrels. Drink now-2030.
Decanter: “Cassis and cedar lead bright cherry and berry. Glossy palate, supple, chalky tannin and juicy freshness. Polished, vibrant finish.”
Customer comment:
“Thoroughly delicious.” - Mr M.G.
A lovely, supple, plummy, spicy. mellow, honest and unpretentious red wine. 13.5% alc. A blend of Shiraz (80%), Cabernet Sauvignon (15%) and Cinsault (5%). Aged for 7 months in a combination of large foudres, 500-litre French oak barriques, concrete tanks, and stainless steel. Drink now-2032. Vegan friendly. Sustainable farming practices.
As you may have noticed, we don’t stock a lot of red Bordeaux. Let’s not delve too deeply into the reasons why, but suffice it to say that we often find there is much better value to be found in impersonators from elsewhere. This South African Cabernet Merlot is a case in point.Everything about it suggests that great care and attention to detail has been taken, from the smart, embossed label, to the quality of the fruit itself. It's a full-bodied red, packed with rich blackcurrant, mulberry and dry bark, with 'old world' hints of tobacco leaf and cedar from the oak ageing, lifted by the scent of elderflower. You would wear the soles of your boots very thin wandering around Bordeaux in search of anything close to this sort of value 13.5% alc. Drink now-2029.
A wonderfully juicy Stellenbosch red made from Gamay, the Beaujolais grape. The word ‘juicy’ can sometimes be used as a euphemism to mean ‘eye-wateringly acidic’, just like ‘powerful’ can mean borderline flammable or ‘flinty’ can mean the fruit has left the building, but I’m using ‘juicy’ in its rightful sense here, to mean succulently tangy. There’s a whole punnet of strawberries in this wine, a little smoky cherry and the moreish quality of tangerines (I don’t know about you, but I can get through a string bag full of them in a single sitting). This is a great wine for parties, picnics and barbecues, with its soft tannins and a relatively low alcohol content of 12.5% abv. Screwcap. Organic. Drink now-2030.
Press reviews (including previous vintage):
JancisRobinson.com: “Mid, vibrant crimson. Totally inviting aroma of tangy, vibrant dark-red fruit, very slightly herbal, even a touch floral, while perfectly ripe. Deep, generous and mouth-wateringly fresh, pure Gamay fruit. super-fine tannins – and a million miles away from a fly-by-night nouveau style. Succulent, juicy, perfectly balanced and refreshing. You could drink this now, with or without food, but there’s no rush thanks to the impeccable balance between structure and fruit. (JH)” 17 points
Jamie Goode: “So fresh and direct with red cherry, raspberry and black pepper, and even some redcurrant. There’s a really creamy, smooth mid-palate with ripe fruit and then a nice focused finish. Subtle green hints here. Beautiful. ” 94 points
Lukas van Loggerenberg told us that his inspiration for this Cabernet Franc (known in certain areas of the Loire region as ‘Breton’) is Chinon, which gets better and better with age, often still drinking well on its 15th, even its 20th birthday. His 2020 ‘Breton’ Cabernet Franc is a wine that is only at the beginning of its journey, already supple and beautiful, but waiting for the next twist of the kaleidoscope to reveal new dimensions. Enjoy it now for its silky, graphite-laced, black cherry exuberance or wait for the next instalment, which will be equally enthralling I’m sure. It’s a cliffhanger of a wine, but we are certain that you will still be enjoying future episodes 15 years at least from now. If so, we look forward to receiving your thank you note (please address it to the Old Vintners Retirement Home). 13% alc. Drink now-2035.
Press review:
Tim Atkin MW: “This brilliant, stylishly refined Cabernet Franc uses equal amounts of fruit from the Polkadraai Hills and Firgrove. Perfumed and refreshing, it's a South African take on a St Nicolas de Bourgueil, all balance, poise and detail. Taut and granitic with gentle, caressing tannins and silky red berry and black cherry fruit. 2023-29.” 95 points
Lukas Loggerenberg: ‘Young Winemaker of the Year’ - Tim Atkin MW
“This might be the finest wine that I have tasted from Lukas Van Loggerenberg.” - Neal Martin, 97 points
“World class.” - Tim Atkin MW, 96 points
When Chris Alheit introduces a new winemaker, who he says is one to look out for, then people necessarily sit up and take notice. That was what happened when Chris contacted his old friend and UK importer, Richard Kelley, with an email that simply said “Richard meet Lukas, Lukas meet Richard”. Richard caught the next plane out to The Cape and the rest is history. Within a few years, Lukas has become synonymous with South Africa’s ‘New Wave’ and both wine merchants and wine drinkers now have to fight for an allocation.
His ‘Graft’ Syrah from the Polkadraai Hills, just outside Stellenbosch, is a thing of great beauty, evoking wines like Cote Rotie and Hermitage with purple flower petals in its upper register, black cherry in its middle register and sweet spice in its lower register. It’s wonderfully authentic. There’s a wonderful inner perfume that suffuses the dark, mellifluous fruit, bringing exotic seduction to a grape than can taste monolithic in the wrong hands. It’s 100% whole bunch-fermented, which brings a sappy, juiciness to the wine, and aged for a year in a mix of Italian concrete and old French oak, which softens and sweetens the crunchy young berries. Can be drunk when young, as it has so much fruit, but it has decades ahead of it. 14% alc. Drink now-2042.
Press reviews:
Vinous (Neal Martin): “"The 2022 Graft is pure Syrah from Polkadraai Hills that is matured two-thirds in concrete, the remainder in second-fill barrels. "It's the easiest wine I make because of the quality of the vineyard," Van Loggerenberg mentions. It has a stunning crushed violet petal, mineral-driven bouquet that effortlessly subsumes the 100% whole bunch. The palate is supremely well-balanced and tensile, with touches of pink peppercorn and brine infusing the black fruit, leading to another, almost Cornas-like, pliant finish. This might be the finest wine that I have tasted from Lukas Van Loggerenberg (so far). Drink now-2050.“ 97 points
Greg Sherwood MW: “This pretty Syrah shows a deep broody aromatics with layers of rose water, lavender, violets, red plum, red cherry, and scented talc. The palate shows incredible intensity and fine chalky tannins with a power and precision, or as Lukas says, Cote Rotie meets Polkadraai Hills! A multi-layered, texturally stimulating Syrah that s incredibly perfumed, intense, and quite profound. One of Lukas s most sophisticated wines without doubt.” 97+ points
Tim Atkin MW: “ "A freak of a vineyard", is how Lukas van Loggerenberg describes Karibib, the source of several of the Cape's most exciting Syrahs, including this one. Fermented with whole bunches before ageing in a 70/30 combination of concrete and older barrels, Graft is a violet, lavender and paprika-scented red with a palate of damson, black olive and blackberry, dense, layered tannins and the grip and concentration to age. World class. Drink now-2032.” 96 points
JancisRobinson.com (Tamlyn Currin): “Smells of black pepper and wild strawberries. Intensely peppery but no shortage of super-fresh, resonant fruit. The tannins feel like old parchment, layer upon layer. It really presses into you, delicious concentration on the mid palate but really dancing on the nose and on the finish. Tremendous energy. Drink now-2032.” 17.5 points
Matthew Jukes: “With a thrilling perfume that resembles a lusty Morey-Saint-Denis more than a hulking Cornas, this sensual, pliable Syrah has embraced the multifaceted vintage conditions, unveiling an uncommonly prescient and enthralling wine. Totally integrated tannins beneath a shimmering, black-fruited carapace of flesh and spice, this is a genial fellow and the most approachable and civilised Swartland creation in a decade.” 19+ points/20 points
Tim Atkin MW: “ "Double schist" says Gottfried Mocke of this wine, which combines grapes from Porseleinberg with 10% from Boekenhoutskloof's Roundstone property. Fermented with 65%whole bunches, it's a refined, perfumed Syrah that is only aged in foudres and larger barrels these days, showing subtle ginger and pepper spice, sculpted tannins and raspberry, plum and blackberry fruit. Way less meaty than the 2021 was at the same stage. Drink now-2032.” 96 points
“Truly world class” - Tim Atkin MW, 100 points
The last time I was at Porseleinberg, they were unloading a new press from the back of a lorry. Normal stuff for a winery. Nothing to see here. Move along. Except there was something unusual. They had shipped the press all the way from Domaine Rene Rostaing in the Northern Rhône. Now, a press doesn’t add any extrinsic flavour to a wine, it’s just an inert piece of equipment that squeezes the juice from the grapes, but such is the attention to detail that Marc Kent and Callie Louw bestow upon their Porseleinberg Syrah, that, in their attempt to make a South African version of a Côte-Rôtie, they shipped a press (a press!) all the way from the Northern Rhone. Maybe they thought it was imbued with magical properties! Ha! Then again, maybe it was, because this wine could easily be mistaken for a top notch Cote Rotie from someone like, oh I don’t know, Rene Rostaing. 14% alc. Drink now-2040.
Press review:
Tim Atkin MW: “The 2023 growing season was "dry and difficult", according to Callie Louw, at least in this wild and starkly beautiful corner of the Swartland, but you wouldn’t know it from the quality of this superlative Syrah. Picked late, right up to March 8th, it has the concentration and intensity of a small crop. Fermented with 90% whole clusters, with 70% of the wine using the submerged cap technique, it's one of the most sublime Porseleinbergs yet, pairing aromas of incense, thyme and black pepper with firm, age-worthy tannins, blackberry, red berry and liquorice flavours and a stony, mineral core. Truly world class. Drink 2027-2035.” 100 points
“The Le Luc Single Vineyard Pinot Noir from Craig Wessels seems to get better and better every year.” - Greg Sherwood MW
“A quite Pinot Noir.” - Neal Martin
At the recent ‘Judgement of Cape Town’, a blind wine tasting of premium Pinot Noirs by 16 international wine professionals, the Restless River ‘Le Luc’ Pinot Noir 2022, came in top place, beating a Grand Cru red Burgundy from Armand Rousseau into 2nd place and a Premier Cru Chambolle-Musigny from Christophe Roumier as well as several others, including Felton Road (New Zealand), Littorai (California) and Cristom (Oregon). Here are the Top 6…
1. Restless River ‘Le Luc’ Pinot Noir, Hemel-en-Aarde, South Africa 2022
2. Ruchottes-Chambertin Grand Cru ‘Clos des Ruchottes’, Domaine Armand Rousseau 2022
3. Felton Road ‘Calvert’ Pinot Noir, Central Otago, New Zealand 2022
4. Littorai ‘Savoy Vineyard’ Pinot Noir, Anderson Valley, California 2022
5. Newton Johnson ‘Windansea’ Pinot Noir,Hemel-en-Aarde, South Africa 2022
6. Chambolle-Musigny Premier Cru ‘Les Cras’, Domaine Georges & Christophe Roumier 2022
It’s a ringing endorsement for a wine we absolutely love and have bored people silly by incessantly claiming that it can stand shoulder to shoulder with the best Pinot Noirs in the world. The 2023 vintage is another haunting beauty, redolent of blood orange, peony, burnt cherry and sandalwood. 13% alc. Drink now-2032.
Press review:
Tim Atkin MW: “"Good growers - and Craig Wessels is one of them - managed to overcome the challenges of the 2023 vintage in the Cape. Made with clones 113, 115 and 777, Le Luc has some granite-derived tension, subtle spices from 30% whole clusters, gentle, lacy tannins and sappy raspberry coulis and goji berry fruit. 2025-30 13% alc. Drink 2025-2032.” 95 points
“Seamless texture, effortless class with a weightless intensity on the finish. A simply beautiful Cape Bordeaux blend.“ - Greg Sherwood MW, 97 points
“Real class, with layers of fresh complexity.” -Decanter, Roger Jones, 97 points
After making the iconic and 100-point-scoring ‘Paul Sauer’ at Kanonkop for 23 years, Abrie Beeslar launched his own label in 2022 and this wine, ‘The Sacrament’, his flagship red, sold out before it had even hit the shelves. So, when we were offered a handful of cases of the follow-up vintage, we bit his hand off before even tasting it. Last week we finally had the chance to try it and it was so phenomenally good that we went to give Abrie a ‘high five’, but for reasons already cited, that didn’t work out too well.
It’s the best vintage yet, which rings slightly hollow, as it’s only the second release, but the 2022 was nothing short of spectacular, so there was almost no headroom for the follow-up vintage, yet the 2023 has squeezed itself into that tiny space. It performs the amazing conjuring trick of being both hedonistically plush and intense, while also sleek and vibrant, and there aren’t many wines that can achieve that paradox (Ridge’s Monte Bello springs to mind). A blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon with 40% Cabernet Franc, sourced from Helderberg and Banhoek, aged for 20 months in 100% new 225-litre French oak barrels. 14.5% alc. Drink now-2045.
Press reviews:
Greg Sherwood MW: “Sweet savoury black fruited magic, sappy, seductive and loaded with dried herbs, incense and black currant aromatics. Seamless texture, effortless class with a weightless intensity on the finish. A simply beautiful Cape Bordeaux blend expression.“ 97 points
Roger Jones (Decanter): “Real class, with layers of fresh complexity, toasty plum and blueberry, wild-foraged herbs. Leaves a wonderful mouthfeel.” 97 points
Victoria Mason MW (Decanter): “Incredible intensity and poise, with well-integrated oak, ripe fruit and silky tannins. This has a sense of direction that makes it stand out above the rest of the flight.” 95 points
Jason Millar (Decanter): “Open and enticing nose with abundant sweet spice interleaved with ripe, smoky red fruit, fynbos and dried herbs. Plush, with a long finish. Complex, seductive and refined.” 95 points
Tim Atkin MW (previous vintage): “Understandably sold out on release, although the wine will surely come up at auction in the future, The Sacrament is a head-turning new assemblage from Abrie Beeslaar of just 1,400 bottles. Partnering Cabernet Sauvignon and 20% each of Merlot and Cabernet Franc, deftly aged in new French oak, it's a class act, with seamlessly assembled flavours of toast, blackcurrant and fresh herbs, racy cranberry acidity and the concentration and structure to develop for a decade or more. Drink 2027-2038.” 97 points and ‘Red Wine Discovery of the Year’
“Simply sublime, awesome even, and most definitely a vintage that will come to define premium quality Cabernet for years to come. A true classic that will richly reward bottle ageing.” -Greg Sherwood MW, 98+ points
Etienne Le Riche, often referred to as the ‘King of Cabernet’, has been pivotal in the story of South African Cabernet Sauvignon, consistently making some of The Cape’s best for over 35 years. His Cabernet Sauvignon ‘Reserve’ 2020 recently cemented its status as a truly world-class Cabernet with a ‘Best in Show’ trophy at the Decanter World Wine Awards, the world’s largest wine competition, and in so doing, outperformed 18,249 wines entered from 57 countries! What is slightly scary is that the 2021 is a step up again, a wine of vertiginous depth, plush richness, power and beguiling charm, which is only produced in exceptional years. If this were a Napa Cabernet, it would be $300 a bottle and you would receive 3 bottles a year if you were lucky enough to be on the allocation list! Drink it now or stash it away for 10 years and allow its softer side to emerge. A blend of grapes sourced from around Stellenbosch, including 67% Helderberg, 22% Simonsberg and 11% Jonkershoek Valley, which were matured in 70% new French oak for 24 months. 14.5% alc. Drink now-2050.
Press reviews:
Greg Sherwood MW: “This highly anticipated 2021 release comes hard on the heals of the highly rated 2020 and 2019 from Christo Le Riche, and the impressive 2021 completes the trilogy of blockbuster vintages from this Cabernet specialist. Unwinding in the glass, the aromatics show delicately musky, perfumed notes of white flowers, crème de cassis, blueberries, black berries and freshly tilled earth hints that mingle with notions of dried herbs, thyme and fresh mint leaf, dried peach skins over graphite, granite dust and delicate dark chocolate cocoa spice nuances. The palate is beautifully silky and creamy, full and broad yet velvety soft and plush, voluminous but delicately elegant, finely detailed and weightlessly concentrated. Tight and compact, seductively seamless in the truest sense with an incredibly integrated acid fruit balance, a lively purity, and supple sweet tannins on the long, piercing finish. If 2019 had the muscle and power and 2020 the seductive elegance, balance, and accessibility, the 2021 is a stand apart expression, as unique as the vintage itself. Simply sublime, awesome even, and most definitely a vintage that will come to define premium quality Cabernet for years to come. A true classic that will richly reward bottle ageing. Drink on release and over the next 20 to 30+ years." 98+ points
Tim Atkin MW: “Tighter than the exuberant, ultra-perfumed 2020 was at the same stage perhaps, but this is another very impressive Reserve bottling from Christo Le Riche. Partnering grapes from seven blocks, it includes components from the lower Helderberg, the Simonsberg and the Jonkershoek Valley. Dense and deeply coloured, with 72% new wood, damson, fig and blackcurrant flavours and the concentration to age. Drink 2025-2042.” 97 points
The Wine Advocate (previous vintage): ”Profoundly impressive with a devastatingly gorgeous nose, the 2020 Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve is an instant champion of Stellenbosch Cabernet. Offering a beautifully structured nose with layers of complexity, this stunning Cabernet is wrapped in elegance and finesse. Medium to full-bodied and made using about 75% new French oak, there is no shortage of hedonistic pleasure on the palate. As the wine uncoils - I know it's too young - I just can't put down my glass. Give it two or three more years in the bottle, and I bet you'll also have difficulty putting your glass down. Only 12,000 bottles of this world-class Cabernet were produced, and it will have no challenges aging for 30 years. Wow, what a stunning Cabernet! Drink 2026-2050.” 98 points
Decanter (previous vintage): “‘Things come, things go, fashions turn … but, year after year, Stellenbosch quietly gets on with producing some of the Southern Hemisphere’s most assured Cabernet Sauvignon. We had an example among our Platinum winners last year, so it was satisfying to see a Best in Show contender this year, and this graceful and accomplished wine didn’t take long to win its place in the Top 50. It’s dark black-red in the glass, with serenely curranty scents teased to perfect ripeness and lent dimension by oak without any overt woody stamp obtruding on that fruited charm. The wine exhibits a perfect combination of weight, muscle and energy in the mouth: it’s every inch the athlete. At the end of the palate, though, that singing, lyrical fruit returns before tapering off in a finish that leaves the mouth clean and fresh yet hoping for more. Spot on.’ 97 points and ‘Best in Show’